Third Sunday after Holy Pascha

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women

 Saints Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemos

May 19, 2013

Hymns of the Day

Troparion of the Resurrection, Tone 2

When Thou didst submit Thyself unto death, O Thou deathless and Immortal One.  Then Thou didst destroy hell with Thy Godly power; and when Thou didst raise the dead from beneath the earth, all the powers of Heaven did cry aloud unto Thee:  O Christ God, Thou Giver of life, glory to Thee.

Troparion of Joseph of Arimathea,  Tone 2

The noble Joseph, taking Thine immaculate Body down from the Tree, and having wrapped It in pure linen and spices, laid It for burial in a new tomb.  But on the third day Thou didst arise, O Lord, granting great mercy to the world.

Troparion of the Myhrr Bearing Women, Tone 2

Unto the myrrh-bearing women did the Angel cry out as he stood by the grave:  Myrrh-oils are meet for the dead, but Christ hath proved to be a stranger to corruption.   But cry out:  The Lord is risen, granting great mercy to the world.

Troparion of St. Joseph, Tone 2

Proclaim, O Joseph to David, the ancestor of God, the amazing wonder, for by the angel they were revealed unto thee. For thou hast seen a Virgin great with child, and thou gave glory with the shepherds and didst worship with the Maji. Wherefore, plead with Christ God to save our souls.

Kontakion of the Feast, Tone 8

Though Thou didst descend into the grave, O Immortal One, yet didst Thou destroy the power of Hades, and didst arise as victor, O Christ God, calling to the myrrh-bearing women: Rejoice; and giving peace unto Thine Apostles.  O Thou who dost grant resurrection to the fallen.

Epistle – Acts 6: 1-7

In those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochoros, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmeanas, and Nicolaos, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them.  And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Gospel  - Mark: 15: 43-16: 8

At that time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, and laid him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid.